Media Releases 2009

The Health Care Complaints Commission recently prosecuted a complaint against Dr Nicole Williams before a Medical Professional Standards Committee. Dr Williams was involved in the care of Miss Vanessa Anderson, a sixteen year old girl who died at Royal North Shore Hospital after being hit by a golf ball.
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The NSW Health Care Complaints Commission has finalised its investigation into the conduct of Mr Nikola Halvajieff and has issued a public statement pursuant to 41A(2)(b) of the Health Care Complaints Act 1993.
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The Health Care Complaints Commission recently prosecuted a complaint against Dr Khoi Manh Bui, a cardiothoracic surgical registrar, before a Professional Standards Committee. The complaint alleged that Dr Bui had failed to properly consult with senior staff before performing a procedure on a patient. During the procedure, the patient’s heart was perforated. The patient died three days later.
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On 21 December, the Nurses and Midwives Tribunal handed down its second decision in relation to Mr Abad. The Tribunal found that assistants in nursing provide health services. The Tribunal was satisfied that Mr Abad posed a substantial risk to the health of members of the public and therefore ordered that he be prohibited from providing the nursing services provided by an assistant in nursing as either a public or private service unless and until he is re-enrolled or becomes a registered nurse.
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The Health Care Complaints Commission recently prosecuted two complaints against Dr David John Rutner, a dentist, before the Dental Tribunal of NSW. The complaint concerned Dr Rutner receiving payments from HICAPS, an electronic health claims and payments system, on behalf of the Hospital Contribution Fund of Australia (HCF) for services which in fact were not provided.
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The Health Care Complaints Commission recently prosecuted a complaint against Ms Yuk-Fun Christina Port, an experienced general practitioner, before the NSW Medical Tribunal. The complaint concerned Ms Port inappropriately prescribing medication to a patient without the patient’s knowledge.
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The Health Care Complaints Commission recently prosecuted a complaint against Mr Piyush Jogia, a general practitioner, before the NSW Medical Tribunal. The complaint related to Mr Jogia’s conduct towards a female patient when treating her for ‘vaginal spasm’.
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The Health Care Complaints Commission recently prosecuted two complaints against Mr Guirguis Rezk, a physiotherapist, before the NSW Physiotherapists Tribunal. The complaints related to Mr Rezk’s treatment of two female patients. Both patients were asked to remove all their clothing during treatment without clinical justification.
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The Health Care Complaints Commission recently prosecuted two complaints against Ms Susan Tate, an enrolled nurse, before the NSW Nurses and Midwives Tribunal. The complaints concerned Ms Tate’s failure to maintain professional boundaries in relation to a patient of the Mental Health Unit of the Blue Mountains Hospital.
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The Health Care Complaints Commission recently prosecuted a complaint against Dr Emmanuel William Varipatis, a general practitioner who practices complementary and integrative medicine, before a Medical Professional Standards Committee. The complaint concerned Dr Varipatis providing an intravenous Vitamin C treatment to a patient with renal disease.
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